LAWN TENNIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 26, 31 December 1930, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS

A. C. STEADMAN WINS MEN’S SEMI-FINAL. MRS MELODY AND MISS MYERS WIN DOUBLES TITLE. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 30. The big surprise of to-day’s play at the New Zealand Lawn tennis championships was A. C. Stedman’s defeat of the holder of the men’s singles title, C. Angas, 17—16, 6—4, 6—2, in the semi-final. Stedman, who hails from Auckland, and is University singles champion, unleashed a withering forehand drive that at times almost swept Angas off the court. The ball simply flew to the corners with bullet-like force. The first set was a marathon of 32 games, with Angas often leading and fighting grimly for the odd game, but he was overwhelmed. The set lasted seventy minutes. Angas could not do anything but defend m the second and third sets. Stedman’s sustained brilliance and deadly accuracy surprised even his friends. He is one of the hardest hitters in New Zealand. The match was played on number three court and quickly drew a orowd from the centre court. The weather was overcast and cool and the players appreciated it after Saturday’s sweltering heat. Another surprise was the defeat, also in the men’s singles semi-finals, of Noel Wilson, by the 19-year-old Canterbury youth, H. A. Barnett. Wilson did not strike a good length, and his famous smash often failed him. Frequently he volleyed easy ones into the net. Barnett was as steady as a rock and as cool as a veteran. He proved beyond doubt that his defeat of Don France on the first day was no flash in the pan. Whether he will trouble Stedman in the final is another matter. The general opinion favours the Aucklander. The final of the men’s doubles lies between Seay and Angas and the France brothers. It promises to be a five-set struggle. The Wellington pair, especially Don France, reached a high standard this afternoon to beat Wilson and Stedman in the semi-final. They were down I—41 —4 in the fifth set. Wilson was again very patchy.. There should be a good match in the final of the ladies’ singles between Mrs H. M. Dykes, champion of 1927, and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, champion of 1928. Both were extended in the semi-finals to-day. Mrs Dykes has the more dashing style, but Miss Macfarlane is always difficult to beat. Her sure driving is a big asset. . The women’s doubles championship went to Mrs W. J. Melody, of Wellington, and Miss M. Myers, of Wanganui. Their anticipation was splendid and in the final they beat the Misses Macfarlane easily. The semi-finalists in the combined doubles are Mrs Adams and Don France versus Miss Andrew and Seay, and Mrs Thomson and Wilson versus Miss Wake and Stedman. Two Christchurch girls, Ceba Reese and Noelene Bishop, will contest the final in the girl’s singles. Results:

MEN’S SINGLES. Semi-finals. —Stedman beat Angas 17—15 6 —4, 6 —2; Barnett beat Wilson B—6,8 —6, B—6,8 —6, 6 —B, 5 —7, 6—2. LADIES’ SINGLES. Semi-finals—Miss Marjorie Macfarlane beat Miss Myers 9 —7, 8 6; Mrs Dykes beat Mrs Adams 6 —4, 3 —6, 6 MEN’S DOUBLES. Semi-finals. —Angas and Seay beat Wallace and Lampe 6—o, 6—3, 6 —2: France and Franco beat Stedman and Wilson 4—6, 5—7, 6—3, 6—o, 6—4. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Final. —Mrs W. J. Melody and Miss Myers beat Misses Marjorie and Marion Macfarlane 7 —5, 6 —3. MIXED DOUBLES. Third round. —Mrs Adams and France beat Miss Myers and Lampe 2 —6, 9 —7, 6 —2: Miss Andrew and Seay beat Miss Johnson and Patterson 11—9, I—6, 6—4. GIRLS’ JUNIOR DOUBLES. Final. —Misses N. Dick and T. Poole (Canterbury) beat Misses N. Blunden and C. Reese 3—6, 6—3, 9—7. JUNIOR MIXED DOUBLES. Semi-final. —Mi6s T.' Pool and E. Kean beat Miss C. Reese and A. MacGibbon 6—2, 6—4. NOTES ON THE PLAY. ANGAS-STEDMAN MATCH. Fast driving, with the ball rocking so hard that it almost shook the racket out of Angas’s hand, enabled Stedman to dominate the earlier stages of the first set. His fierce hitting thrilled the spectators, and Angas was mostly on the defensive. He changed his tactics to use the cut shot and temporarily upset Stedman’s game to even at five all, and led 6 —5, 7 6, and B—7.8 —7. Every time, Stedman, attacking to the limit, secured the next game. From nine all Angas won his own service and led 10 —9. The 20th game went to Stedman, mostly with the aid of a fast service, slightly topped. Angas was down to love —40 on his service in the next game (the 21st), but got to deuce and “van in,” and came with brilliant recoveries. Angas kept the odd game until 15 —14, and then Stedman evened at 15 all in the most thrilling duel of the tournament. Then came a change. Angas dropped his service, and now Stedman led 16 —15. Stedman increased his pace and swung his service in with great power to secure the set at 17—15. It was magnificent tennis. Angas opened the second set, taking the first game on his service, but Stedman made it one all. Angas made it 2—l and then 3—l, having captured Stedman’s service. For the moment the Aucklander seemed to be tiring, but he rushed to the net in the fifth and sixth, intercepted brilliantly and the scores were three all. The seventh game was fought tenaciously. Stedman ran his opponent from corner to corner and put himself in the lead 4—3. When lie got to the net after a fierce drive lie was almost unplayable. Angas, however, recovered the shots marvellously and four all was called. Stedman gathered in the ninth off Angas’s servioe, and then gritted Ms teeth to make sure of the tenth. It was his from 40—love with clipping shots that left the title holder standing often on the wrong fot. Stedman’s set, '6 —4. The third set was a terrific battle. The spectators now numbered three times what they had been at the beginning, lured on by the prospect of seeing a champion beaten. From one all Stedman captured Angas’s service. He made no race of it in the fourth game to lead 3—l. Again he punished Angas’s service and the fifth was his for 4—l. Stedman was now clearly dominant

and, with 6 —l in his favour, the match was all but over. Angas served in the seventh and was down 30 —40, but he crept up pluckily and obtained the game. Leading 5 —2, Stedman served in the eighth and led 40 —love. Angas drove out and Stedman won the set 6 —2 and the match amid applause. BARNETT v. WILSON. Barnett took the first set from Wilson B—6 after a good deal of hard driving, varied by a few net excursions. Wilson was more enterprising but after he had worked up several fine openings and then netted easy ones he partly lost confidence. Barnett’s driving was not as severe, but had better length and accuracy. Barnett was down 4 —5 and 5 —6. In the 12th game he served excellently to even the score and then captured Wilson’s service, passing his opponent at the net twice and taking the 14th game on bis own service from 40—15 to win the set. In somewhat the same fashion Barnett won the second set, but in the third Wilson was more successful at the net and won B—6.8 —6. In the fourth set the games were even to four all. Wilson served and -was “van out,” but smashed twice for winners and led 5—4. Wilson’s net work was now more finished and he was pressing hard, though occasionally outlobbed. Barnett made it five all by getting everything back. Wilson was not to be denied and won the set 7—5, making two sets all. The fifth set was over unexpectedly quickly, the young Canterbury boy virtually making no race of it, dropping only two games. Wilson’s overhead and net game were lamentably poor, compared with former years, and he mis-hit at many critical points. Barnett was his superior in baseline driving, and in addition he kept cool throughout. LADIES’ SINGLES. There were remarkable changes of fortune in the semi-final of the ladies’ singles between Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, of Auckland, and Miss Myers, of Wanganui. The latter led 5—2 in the first set and seemed to have it safe when her opponent began to show improved all-round form. She returned Miss Myers’ best drives with interest and took four games on end, eventually winning the set 9 —7. In the 14th game deuce was called five times. In the second set Miss Macfarlane secured an early lead and was 5—2 up. Then Miss Myers evened at 5 all and 6 all, but Miss Macfarlane agai,n proved superior, to win the set B—68 —6 and the match.

The rallies were not so interesting in the other ladies’ semi-final between Mrs Dykes and Mrs Adams. The former had very little punch in her serve and scored most from delightful sideline placements. Mrs Dykes won after a long-drawn-out three sets, losing the second set because of errors, some of them being forced on her bv Mrs Adams’s better net play and shooting cross-court drives. Mrs Dykes will certainly be hard pressed by Miss Macfarlane in the final. LADIES’ DOUBLES. In the final of the ladies’ doubles Mrs Melody (Wellington) and Miss Myers beat the Misses Macfarlane in two sets. It was a popular victory, as the winners have played attractive tennis throughout. The winners led 5 —2 in the first set, displaying excellent combination and courtcraft. Then the Misses Macfarlane showed their usual fighting spirit by catching up to 5 all. Miss Marjorie Macfarlane sent some great winners down the sideline. Then Miss Myers and her partner rallied and took the set 7 —5. They also won the second set 6 —3. Miss Myers was repeatedly applauded for crisp volleying. MEN’S DOUBLES. Angas and Seay were far too good for Wallace and Lampe in the semifinals of the men’s doubles. Their combination was well-nigh perfect and they lost but five games in three sets. Seay showed himself to be one of the most artistic tennis players in the Dominion. His volleying had all the quality of Wallace’s and double the decisiveness. Angas did some amazing lobbing. The other semi-final in this event was far more thrilling. The France brothers lost the first two sets to Wilson and Stedman, but staged a great recovery and won the next three sets and the match. The duels at the net were spectacular throughout, the ball sometimes flashing from recquet to racquet seven or eight times. Don France was outstanding. The others had their bad periods, but he never faltered, smashing, driving and volleying like a champion throughout. HAWKE’S BAY TOURNEY. HASTINGS, Dec. 30. Milburn beat Lowry, his club-mate and doubles championship partner, in the Hawke’s Bay lawn tennis singles championship at Hastings to-day, Milburn taking the first, second and fifth sets. C. E. Malfroy was the previous holder and this is Milburn’s debut as a provincial champion. The Ormond sisters won the ladies’ doubles in a not very interesting game with Mesdames Motley and Hassall, taking twelve games to four. Lowry and Mrs Hassall had little difficulty in beating Miss A. Ormond, winner of the ladies’ singles title at the present tournament, and Udv, who is said to occupy a not very exalted place on the Wanganui club ladder. Udy was, nevertheless, prominent in patches and may develop.